What's a winch Cradle? does it need a bull bar?

[snewby Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close snewby]

I'd like to fit a winch but not a bull bar. Does anyone know how the toyota winch cradle fits and if it can go on with the standard plastic bar?

[dereki Member Find all posts View Profile Close dereki]

Re: What's a winch Cradle? does it need a bull bar?

I believe the Toyota winch cradle fits into the Toyota Sovereign Bull Bar.

For a winch you really need a winch compatible bull bar. I doubt there is enough room behind the bumper to fit a winch anyhow???

For very occasional emergency use have you though about a hand winch?

D

[snewby Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close snewby]

Re: What's a winch Cradle? does it need a bull bar?

Thanks. Yes, I have a large hand winch, but it would be nice to have a power one. (I'm getting old :-). I like the idea of a "hiden winch".
The real question should bve, does the cradle fit to the Toyota Sovereign bar or does it fit directly to the chasis rails?

[LeighW Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close LeighW]

Re: What's a winch Cradle? does it need a bull bar?

Hi snewby,

The winch cradle is simply a very heavy metal platform you mount the winch on.

The winch cradle fits between the chassis rails and the bull bar, ie the bull bar sandwiches it to the chassis
rails. The same bolts secure the bull bar and the winch cradle to the chassis rails, They pass through the bull bar then the winch cradle and
then through the chassis plates.

I see no reason why you could not mount it without the bull bar assuming there is enough space. The bull bar may give it
a bit more lateral stability. You would have to make up some square metal plates to act as large washers
etc to replace the bull bar.

Mounting the fair lead would be the hardest part.

Cheers

LeighW

[rhojef Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close rhojef]

Re: What's a winch Cradle? does it need a bull bar?

When anyone with a winch cradle gets the recall "nightmare" done on the Sovereign Bars, toyota replace the winch cradle with a new design.
If you could get an old one off a dealer or someone might be able to keep theirs and pass it on, you may be able to play around a bit without the upfront expense.
I Payed about $220.00 when i bought one.

[dereki Member Find all posts View Profile Close dereki]

Re: What's a winch Cradle? does it need a bull bar?

I was searching around and found a couple of 90 series with a winch in the bumper...

viewtopic.php?f=5&t=6677

viewtopic.php?f=19&t=10697

[waltec Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close waltec]

Re: What's a winch Cradle? does it need a bull bar?

Hi

The Cradle doesn't mount between the chassis rails and the bullbar, it mounts between the bullbar mounts (was crash cans, now U shaped mount) and the bullbar, these mount attach to the chassis rails. The alloy bar isn't strong enough to support the winch, so the cradle is sandwiched between the mounts and the bar, purely for strength.

The plastic bumper has a steel bar (the actual bumper) under it, this is removed and the bullbar mounts take its place.

The cradle is much bigger than and steel bumper, so I doubt you'd fit the cradle behind the plastic bumper. Also I wouldn't recommend using an old style cradle, Toyota is replacing these as the mounts that hold it to the chassis are know to crack, a cradle and winch are actually heavier than the bullbar! so still just as likely to fail.

Think there was another post where soneone had used a universal mount for a whinch. From memory these use a 50mm towbar receiver, so if you were to fit a 50mm receiver to the front you could then have a winch you could mount front or back. (Found it http://pradopoint.com/viewtopic.php?...e7eaa95046e60a)

Matt

[wilson450 Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close wilson450]

So reading about this cradle.if i had a ARB non winch bar.would this cradle assist me in mounting a winch without replacing the bar.after a few mods.thanks

[snewby Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close snewby]

I think you should ask that of ARB ... ie is it possible to upgrade your bar for a winch?
For myself, I am now leaning towards the Taubenreuther In Bumper Winch Mount
http://www.wolf4x4.com.au/recovery-e...prado-120-150/
But have not yet bit the bullet. The lockers and hand winch have been seeing me thru so far.

[fido666 Banned Find all posts View Profile Close fido666]

For myself, I am now leaning towards the Taubenreuther In Bumper Winch Mount
http://www.wolf4x4.com.au/recovery-e...prado-120-150/

Holy cr@p! Nearly $2K and that's without replacing the bumper. If I was going to spend that much I'd just be done with it and buy a winch compatible bullbar.

[AussieAndy Find all posts View Profile Close AussieAndy]

What about the AFN one wolf also have on their website, "only" $995